EAST HAVEN

Now that spring is here and the weather will soon be warming up, there are a number of fun options for East Haven residents in the coming months through the town’s Recreation Department.

Spring recreation will run mostly from April to the end of June and include sessions in skating, archery, cooking, and entertainment at East Haven High School (EHHS), the former Vernon Hays School, and the Veterans Memorial Ice Rink.

Mary’s Cooking Classes will host sessions in the kitchen at the Hays building on Thursday, April 18 and Wednesday, May 15. Participants in these classes will create April Fool's "Meatball" Cupcake and Easter Funfetti Cookies, and Caprese Gnocchi and Banana Split Icebox Cake, respectively.

The developing East Haven Youth Services program is hosting summer movie nights at the Town Beach with three films that will appeal to different age groups. The films to be shown are still to be determined.

“Usually, I do three,” said Andrea Kenney, program director of the East Haven Recreation Department. “I do one that's kind of like a G [rating], and I'll do one that's in the middle, and then I'll do one that's all ages.”

Public roller skating will occur at the Veterans Memorial Ice Rink with a kickoff night on Friday, May 10 from 7 to 9 p.m., featuring a theme to be determined.

The Yellowjacket Basketball Camp will run through the week of Monday, June 24 to Friday, June 28. The camp, which is being led by EHHS basketball coaches Michael Archambault and Frank Lyon, as well as their teams’ players, will focus on the development of various skills and mechanics in the game. Those include “ball-handling, shooting, rebounding, drills, and proper technique,” according to the camp’s description on the recreation website. Attendees will take part in both individual competitions and team games at the camp.

The camp is taking place in the gymnasium at EHHS from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Registration is open to participants in grades 3 to 8. The cost of registration is $130.

Registration for the Archery Club is starting up on Tuesday, April 16. This program is for both young people and adults and is led by instructors Chris Pates, Michelle Macaunda, and Al Dieguez. According to Pates, the program is an opportunity to help people “improve concentration, strengthen coordination, and build self-confidence,” similar to other sports.

“Archery requires focus, consistency, accuracy, and consistent effort. It is a discipline that can be pursued by anyone regardless of age, sex, or athletic ability,” said Pates. “Archery can help people develop character as they learn new skills related to observation, patience, decision-making, stamina, acceptance of trial and error, and respect for oneself and peers. Most important, archery is fun!”

With equipment donated by Sachs Family Foundation, Pates said that participants will “learn the fundamentals of archery” through the club. As skill levels increase, young archers are then presented with a higher level of difficulty. For more experienced archers, there will be coaching offered to help them improve their accuracy, form, and performance. Archers may bring their own equipment, although shooting and safety equipment will be provided by the club.

Registration for Mary’s Cooking Classes, the Yellowjacket Basketball Camp, and the Archery Club are available at easthavenct.myrec.com/info/activities/default.aspx?type=activities.